Animal-trap



(ModeL) D J. SCHAFFER.

ANIMAL TRAP.

No. 313,957 Patented Mar. 17, 1885..

InVezaiar;

.ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCHAFF ER, OF KIBKWOOD, MISSOURI.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,957, dated March 17, 1885.

- Application filed May 19, 1884. '(Model) To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SCHAFFER, of Kirkwood, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Animal-Traps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being'had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improvement; Fig. 2, a side elevation, one of the cartridge-chambers being shown in vertical section and a portion of the frame being broken away; Fig. 3, an end elevation, and Fig. 4 a plan.

The same letters of reference same parts.

The present improvement is a modification of an animal-trap heretofore devised by me, and which is described in a pending application, the serial number of which is 132,091. The modification relates, mainly, to that portion of the mechanism which is employed in operating the hammers.

A represents the frame of a trap, consisting, as in the original construction, substantially of the plate a and the legs a a.

B B represent the cartridge'chambers, and C represent the hammers for firing the cartridges, and D D represent the springs for actuating the hammers, all as in the original construction,saving as modified by the present improvement. In place, however, of providing the plate with an upright column and attaching the hammer-triggers thereto and operating the triggers by means of rods passing upward through the plate, the part which the animal moves is made in one piece with the trigger, and substantially as follows:

E represents an arm, pivoted at e to the frame of the trap. Its lower end, 6 extends denote the downward and is suitably shaped at e to bear upon the surface of the ground. Its upper end, 6", is shaped and extended to form what might be termed a trigger, the part 6 at its outer end being furnished with or shaped to form the shoulders e e. The hammer is provided with a lug, c, and the hammer is set for firing the cartridge by drawing it backward until the lug c is brought into engagement with the shoulder e or the shoulder (2*. As shown in Fig. 2, the lug is held against the shoulder e of the arm E. As thus held, the part c of the arm E must be depressed in order to release the hammer.

\Vhen it is desired to fire the cartridge, by lifting the part 6 the lug c is brought into engagement with the other shoulder, e, of the arm.

The present construction as Well as the original construction can be used in various ways, and can be applied to various purposes, not only for shooting animals below and above ground, but also as an alarm or for signaling purposes, or as a means of self-defense. To this end the cartridge-chambers B may be single or double barreled, or even more than two chambers may be used. The arm E at its lower end may also be shaped and extended to suit the various purposes to which the improvement is to be applied.

I claim- The combination of the plate a, the legs a a, the chambers B B, the hammers G O, the springs D D, and the armsE E, the lower end of the arms being extended and shaped to bear upon the ground, and the upper end being extended and shaped to form a trigger having the shoulders e e, substantially as described.

JOHN SCHAFFER.

NVitnesses:

CHAS. D. MooDY, CORA E. HUNT. 

